2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
#556
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Frozen in Carbonite
Programs: UA Aluminum 0.6MM, Bonvoy Life Sentence, Hyatt Eliteist, AA Super Plutonium
Posts: 2,878
Route: EWR-LHR
From: BusinessFirst to Global First
Purchased Fare Class: I (award ticket)
When Offered: At Check-in
Price: $5,999.00
Accepted?: LOL
As a point of refernce, you could outright purchase the seat in an A fare for $5,642.00 right now....
From: BusinessFirst to Global First
Purchased Fare Class: I (award ticket)
When Offered: At Check-in
Price: $5,999.00
Accepted?: LOL
As a point of refernce, you could outright purchase the seat in an A fare for $5,642.00 right now....
#557
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Boulder, CO and Waimea, HI
Programs: UAL 1K MM
Posts: 748
Similar situation BOS-DEN. Wife wanted me to feel comfortable after 10 days on the road so she paid for an upgrade for me (#2) on the list with an RPU. It was $350 I believe which was more than I would have spent. However the surprise came when I received 150% qualifying miles. I didn't think this was supposed to happen.
#558
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold, DL Silver
Posts: 410
Route: JFK-LAX
From: Y to BF
Purchased Fare Class: K
When Offered: At Check-in
Price: $359
Declined
From: Y to BF
Purchased Fare Class: K
When Offered: At Check-in
Price: $359
Declined
#559
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
I've never looked at paying for an upgrade before at check-in, but I'm going to try on an upcoming EWR-SIN flight, where the HKG-SIN segment has already cleared the GPU (which means it's gone) and the EWR-HKG segment is sold out in BF. I'm on a W fare, so I think it's unlikely to clear. I will do OLCI at exactly T-24, in case check-in time becomes the tie breaker (although I would probably lose to someone connecting through EWR who checked in earlier).
My questions: Does the offer come up at T-24 OLCI or only if you check in with a kiosk? If the flight is sold out at OLCI, but a seat opens later, will there still be a buy-up offer? How do you find out, other than repeating OLCI several times during the T-24 window?
My questions: Does the offer come up at T-24 OLCI or only if you check in with a kiosk? If the flight is sold out at OLCI, but a seat opens later, will there still be a buy-up offer? How do you find out, other than repeating OLCI several times during the T-24 window?
#560
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
I've never looked at paying for an upgrade before at check-in, but I'm going to try on an upcoming EWR-SIN flight, where the HKG-SIN segment has already cleared the GPU (which means it's gone) and the EWR-HKG segment is sold out in BF. I'm on a W fare, so I think it's unlikely to clear. I will do OLCI at exactly T-24, in case check-in time becomes the tie breaker (although I would probably lose to someone connecting through EWR who checked in earlier).
My questions: Does the offer come up at T-24 OLCI or only if you check in with a kiosk? If the flight is sold out at OLCI, but a seat opens later, will there still be a buy-up offer? How do you find out, other than repeating OLCI several times during the T-24 window?
My questions: Does the offer come up at T-24 OLCI or only if you check in with a kiosk? If the flight is sold out at OLCI, but a seat opens later, will there still be a buy-up offer? How do you find out, other than repeating OLCI several times during the T-24 window?
#561
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
The one point I would add is there is absolutely no guaranty UA will offer a buy-up on any particular flight, especially TATL or TPAC, regardless of the number of empty seats.
#562
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
Good point. Technically, there's always a buy-up. It could be the cost of a J ticket. Particularly on a popular route like EWR-HKG. If UA doesn't offer a buy-up at T-24, have you seen them offer a buy-up closer to departure? And is there any way to find out besides constantly checking Travel Options in your record up to flight time?
#563
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
It's a dynamic situation. If you don't get offered a buy-up at check-in, or don't like the price offered, keep checking. Maybe it will change, maybe it won't. There is no work around.
#564
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 380
This 1K was offered >$1000 to upgrade from Y to F on ORD-SFO checking in online about 20 hours from departure on a K fare. 2 F seats remain. Now booked full. #21 on the upgrade list.
#565
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: California
Programs: UA GS MM SPG Platinum (Lifetime Platinum)
Posts: 428
How many people got upgraded? I remember the days pre Mar. 2012 when being number 4 felt like you dropped a lot...
#566
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1k, SPG Plat 100
Posts: 619
I too received a comical buy up offer when there was 1 F seat left. Something in the $1100 to $1300 range. If there are multiple seats left, the going rate on that route is $199.
Last edited by Boo_Radley; Oct 24, 2014 at 8:09 am
#567
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
SFO-HNL
K Fare
$808 RT buy-up to F
Offered post-ticketing
This is the delta between the K fare and the P fare (an UP of some kind I'm sure; didn't check the actual fare basis).
At purchase the offered buy-up was something like $1100 each way. Then after ticketing price dropped by more than half.
$1262 for a RT F ticket SFO-HNL is pretty cheap. About half of what UA would have charged a year ago. We're going to see more of these seats sold, and fewer available for upgrades.
K Fare
$808 RT buy-up to F
Offered post-ticketing
This is the delta between the K fare and the P fare (an UP of some kind I'm sure; didn't check the actual fare basis).
At purchase the offered buy-up was something like $1100 each way. Then after ticketing price dropped by more than half.
$1262 for a RT F ticket SFO-HNL is pretty cheap. About half of what UA would have charged a year ago. We're going to see more of these seats sold, and fewer available for upgrades.
#568
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA MM Plat; AA MM Gold; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 15,866
I suspect it's a bug rather than demand-exploitation; something like:
If you're an elite, it looks for the cheapest B fare (M for 1K), since someone assumed coach would always be cheaper than first and elites are instant upgrade eligible.
If you're non-elite, it looks for the cheapest first fare, and it's finding UP/UPDI fares that are way cheaper than B.
If you're an elite, it looks for the cheapest B fare (M for 1K), since someone assumed coach would always be cheaper than first and elites are instant upgrade eligible.
If you're non-elite, it looks for the cheapest first fare, and it's finding UP/UPDI fares that are way cheaper than B.
She's now in P, so it definitely didn't restrict the search to Y/B/M.
#569
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
That's almost certainly an UP/UPDI that books into P. The difference between Y and F on that route on a medium priced fare (i.e., a Q or H) is often just tens of dollars.
#570
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA MM Plat; AA MM Gold; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 15,866